Testosterone represses ubiquitin ligases atrogin-1 and Murf-1 expression in an androgen-sensitive rat skeletal muscle in vivo

Pires-Oliveira M, Maragno AL, Parreiras-E-Silva LT, Chiavegatti T, Gomes MD, Godinho RO. Testosterone represses ubiquitin ligases atrogin-1 and Murf-1 expression in an androgen-sensitive rat skeletal muscle in vivo. J Appl Physiol 108: 266-273, 2010. First published November 19, 2009; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00490.2009.-Skeletal muscle atrophy induced by denervation and metabolic diseases has been associated with increased ubiquitin ligase expression. In the present study, we evaluate the influence of androgens on muscle ubiquitin ligases atrogin-1/MAFbx/FBXO32 and Murf-1/Trim63 expression and its correlation with maintenance of muscle mass by using the testosterone-dependent fast-twitch levator ani muscle (LA) from normal or castrated adult male Wistar rats. Gene expression was determined by qRT-PCR and/or immunoblotting. Castration induced progressive loss of LA mass (30% of control, 90 days) and an exponential decrease of LA cytoplasm-to-nucleus ratio (nuclear domain; 22% of control after 60 days). Testosterone deprivation induced a 31-fold increase in LA atrogin-1 mRNA and an 18-fold increase in Murf-1 mRNA detected after 2 and 7 days of castration, respectively. Acute (24 h) testosterone administration fully repressed atrogin-1 and Murf-1 mRNA expression to control levels. Atrogin-1 protein was also increased by castration up to 170% after 30 days. Testosterone administration for 7 days restored atrogin-1 protein to control levels. In addition to the well known stimulus of protein synthesis, our results show that testosterone maintains muscle mass by repressing ubiquitin ligases, indicating that inhibition of ubiquitin-proteasome catabolic system is critical for trophic action of androgens in skeletal muscle. Besides, since neither castration nor androgen treatment had any effect on weight or ubiquitin ligases mRNA levels of extensor digitorum longus muscle, a fast-twitch muscle with low androgen sensitivity, our study shows that perineal muscle LA is a suitable in vivo model to evaluate regulation of muscle proteolysis, closely resembling human muscle responsiveness to androgens.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)[05/59006-1]Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)FAPESP[2006/58629-8

Skeletal muscle expresses the extracellular cyclic AMP–adenosine pathway

Background and purpose: cAMP is a key intracellular signalling molecule that regulates multiple processes of the vertebrate skeletal muscle. We have shown that cAMP can be actively pumped out from the skeletal muscle cell. Since in other tissues, cAMP efflux had been associated with extracellular generation of adenosine, in the present study we have assessed the fate of interstitial cAMP and the existence of an extracellular cAMP-adenosine signalling pathway in skeletal muscle.Experimental approach: cAMP efflux and/or its extracellular degradation were analysed by incubating rat cultured skeletal muscle with exogenous cAMP, forskolin or isoprenaline. cAMP and its metabolites were quantified by radioassay or HPLC, respectively.Key results: Incubation of cells with exogenous cAMP was followed by interstitial accumulation of 5'-AMP and adenosine, a phenomenon inhibited by selective inhibitors of ecto-phosphodiesterase ( DPSPX) and ecto-nucleotidase (AMPCP). Activation of adenylyl cyclase (AC) in cultured cells with forskolin or isoprenaline increased cAMP efflux and extracellular generation of 5'-AMP and adenosine. Extracellular cAMP-adenosine pathway was also observed after direct and receptor-dependent stimulation of AC in rat extensor muscle ex vivo. These events were attenuated by probenecid, an inhibitor of ATP binding cassette family transporters.Conclusions and implications: Our results show the existence of an extracellular biochemical cascade that converts cAMP into adenosine. the functional relevance of this extracellular signalling system may involve a feedback modulation of cellular response initiated by several G protein-coupled receptor ligands, amplifying cAMP influence to a paracrine mode, through its metabolite, adenosine.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pharmacol, Escola Paulista Med, BR-04044020 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biochem, Escola Paulista Med, BR-04044020 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pharmacol, Escola Paulista Med, BR-04044020 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biochem, Escola Paulista Med, BR-04044020 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc